"But I knew from having been a school librarian that it would be popular at the annual anniversary of the terrible Halifax disaster of 1917," says Payzant. "Finally, when the 75th anniversary was about to be celebrated, I decided, like the little red hen, that I would publish it myself, even though I am still of the opinion that this is a very conceited way to go."

Understanding that people do judge a book by its cover (and how it looks overall), she hired an illustrator and a designer to put the book together. Then, with $5000 she borrowed, she managed to print 1500 copies.

Who's a Scaredy-Cat! was published in July 1992 by Payzant's own company, Windmill Press. That first run was sold in five months. The book is now in its fourth printing and is on the Nova Scotia Department of Education School Book Bureau list.